We have worked with our partner in Swaziland, All Out Africa to devise a trip for children that attend the local Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) centres. These centres were started by the communities who live there and most of the children who attend have lost a parent, or in some cases are orphaned. As part of their curriculum, they have been studying wildlife. The children have never visited Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, despite living nearby, so this trip gives the children a chance to see up close some of the animals they have been learning about. Travelling by minibus and stopping for lunch ensures a fun-packed day out for the children plus they see some of the local sites and wildlife that too often, only tourists to their country have the privilege of viewing.

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland is in Ezulwini Valley, located between Mbabane and Manzini. Translated as 'Little Fire' in siSwati, its name comes from the fires started by lightening which struck on the Mlilwane Hill. The Sanctuary started a conservation movement in Swaziland that saved many species from local extinction.

Date: 01st November 2016

Explorers: 24 children from Mlindazwe Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) aged three to six as well as the NCP teacher, three cooking ladies and Frank the Lion (a cuddly toy!).

The weather was: Drizzling

We saw: Impalas, zebras, buffalos, bucks, and crocodile. We also watched a film about the History of Mlilwane and the story of Jezebel the Flying Landrover, the Landrover which Ted Reilly, the Founder of Mlilwane used to drive when he first started Mlilwane.

We ate: Chicken, rice, potato salad and coleslaw. There was such a lot of food, we all took the leftovers home.

Some of our favourite parts of the day:

Seeing the animals and learning about wildlife we hadn’t seen before.

Watching a film where we saw a big jeep that went flying in the air, lots of animals and a man catching a zebra.

Seeing Jezebel the Flying Landrover in the museum. It was a big jeep!

Playing games under the shelter.

Going on a trip on a bus and singing with my friends (They were singing to Melusi the Driver).

Eating a delicious meal with a big piece of chicken!

Quotes from the day

“This was our first time visiting Mlilwane and we had a great time!" - Wakhile (age 6)

"It was good. I have never seen buffalo and zebra in my life!" - Nomthandazo (age 8)

"It was good to go to Mlilwane. I was happy to see zebras and a crocodile in the water." - Nosipho (age 6)

"I was very happy to go to Mlilwane. I was very excited to see all the animals - impala, zebra, buffalo. I was scared to see the crocodile in the water." - Mahlubi (age 6)

"It was good to go to there because I have never been there. I was happy to see all the animals." - Sinenkosi (age 6)

"I was very excited to go with my friends and see all the animals and the view of Mlilwane." - Delisile (age 6)”

About our partner organisation: All Out Africa is a social enterprise comprising of a group of companies and a non-profit based in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Botswana. It caters to people looking for a wide variety of African experiences from volunteering, tours, research, internships, and University field studies, whilst at the same time, building sustainable long-term projects.

All Out is serious about giving back to the community and the environment. That is why they set up a Foundation to help expand and sustain their project development, which include support to the six care centres for vulnerable children, a sports development program for local children and youth, community building projects, child sponsorship program to support vulnerable children at primary and high school levels to assist them with school requirements, and facilitate conservation research projects at the wildlife and marine research centres. All Out shares their passion for Southern Africa’s people, places and wildlife with the world and offers adventures that change lives.